| Summary: | Feeding of Greenland halibut in Flemish Pass and Newfoundland's Grand Bank slope (3LMNO NAFO divisions) was studied from on board commercial fleet analysis, from June 1991 to December 1994. Percentage of empty stomachs from 625 165 specimens and frequency of occurrence of prey from 18 527 stomachs, were used to evaluate feeding intensity and importance of prey groups. Examinationrevealed increasing feeding intensity with sin. The emptiness percentage varies with depth, in a directly proportional way, in specimens of less than 60 cm, and is inversely proportional in those of over 70 cm. A smaller percentage of empty stomachs was found in females than in males, upwards of the length of first maturity of the latter, as well as a decreasing feeding rate as females become reproductively active. Analysis of frequency of occurrence of main prey groups indicated a change in Greenland halibut feeding at 60 cm in all divisions, a change which supposes a fall in consumption of 0161w:elms and molluscs, an increase in fish and (fiat and an increase in prey species size. the difference between divisions is due to the consumption of Mallows yillosus by specimens of less than 60 cm in divisions 3NO : There are also significant changes with depth of around 1000 m in the diet of Reinhard/ins hippoglossoides of less than 60 cm, bringing about a substitution of capelin for decapod cephalopods At great depths squid have a similar role in the diet of Greenland halibut to that played by capelin on the continental shell The variation of the prey species is related to their disnibution. Offal arc an extra provision of food introduced by fishing activity, making up the second most important prey group in specimens of over 60 cm.
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